


A Young Man Married is a Man That's Marred

by lonlygnome



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen, Giveaway, M/M, and fluff, cuteness, how they meet, teacher!Jim au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-14
Updated: 2014-03-14
Packaged: 2018-01-15 15:55:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1310566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lonlygnome/pseuds/lonlygnome
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been six months since Leonard last spent time with his daughter. Six months and now he's going to meet her teacher.</p>
<p>A sudden call to take a replacement position in Georgia drew Jim out here. Just after the start of the school year and he's two weeks into teaching the 4th grade class. Time to meet the parents.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Young Man Married is a Man That's Marred

**Author's Note:**

> Don't own Trek.
> 
> Title from Shakespeare's All's Well that Ends Well
> 
> Written for icapkirk on tumblr for the prompt: "modern teacher!Jim au teaching Joanna in elementary school"

Could a place for learning look any more like a prison? Especially this one?

That’s the thing about schools; they’re deceiving from the outside.

Today’s the day. He’s two weeks into teaching the 4th grade class of Atlanta’s Jackson Elementary and he’s going to be fielding the inevitable questions: _How’s my kid doing? What happened to Mr. Smith?_ (Honestly, he doesn’t know the answer to that one) _What are your plans for the year?_

Why is today of all days the random bring-your-parent-to-school day?

With a shake of his head, the teacher lets out a soft sigh and pushes his car door open to the heat of the early fall. He’s not sure what he thinks of the change from San Francisco yet. He needed to leave California, but then again he had friends back there who weren’t to happy with his decision to take the position. Calls out of the blue from a former mentor to act as replacements weren’t all that common, especially this close to the start of the year. Then again, it was Pike who had to have a good reasons asking him to come out here.

Time to get the room ready for the rush of critical parents ~~wanting the best for their kids, as if.~~

                                                     -----------------------

1\. Pick Jo up from her mother’s.

2\. Don’t punch Clay in the process.

3\. Grab breakfast with Jo.

4\. Don’t break down in the middle of it.

5\. Take her to school and be glad you get to be part of it somehow.

6\. Don’t break it to her you’re leaving (yet).

The fact he has had to write it down and stick it in his wallet probably means something’s going to give. His mind’s not quite the best at reminding him anymore. But hell, he gets all of today and then who knows what after this. The last thing he’s going to allow to get in his way of spending time with his daughter are his own issues ~~not now, not again~~.

It doesn’t even feel like a kitchen. Half of his things are off at his grandmother’s, packed up in boxes, the other half sitting in his living room, haphazardously waiting to be put in boxes. The only thing left is a tired mug and a coffee maker happily chugging away at a fresh pot. _Happily_. Contrasts nicely with the dismal state of the rest of the apartment and its sole inhabitant. Temporary, just damn great.

With a sigh Leonard moves across the room and hits the machine off with one hand while the other scrubs over his face.

Coffee, shave.

  
He glances at the clock. If he doesn’t get lost in his own damn reflection, he should have time for both before he leaves. Not about to make Jo more impatient by being ‘right on time’. As he pours himself a cup of coffee, a slight smile appears on his face, running over his plans for the day.

Joce hasn’t said it, but he’s sure Jo has been nagging her for him to get this opportunity. The random emails from his wife with information, the latest being “ignore what I’ve told you about her teacher. His name’s now Mr. Kirk.” All of them consisted of a few sentences or forms for him to fill out and fax back to her. Jo had Skyped him once to set up their plans for before and after (stubborn kid was going to take after him without any help it looked like) him visiting her class. Other than that, it’s been third-party contact and saying he’s excited to spend time face-to-face with his girl would be an understatement.

Freshly shaven and with a clean pressed shirt, Leo snags his keys off the table as he leaves the flat a few minutes earlier then even his early goal. Anyone else and maybe that meant a few more minutes with Jo, but it was Jocelyn. He couldn’t hate her for being so damn protective of their girl, not after everything, considering he still loves her. He loves them both, really, so he would not be surprised if those few minutes turn out to be wasted with him standing on the porch waiting for Jocelyn to release his daughter to him, but hell if he isn’t going to try.

                                                         ------------------------

Maybe he shouldn’t have been worried.

Jocelyn’s not even the one to open the door when he arrives at their house (of course she moved into a whole damn _house_ ) and knocks on the door thirty minutes before eight. He’s nearly a half-hour earlier than they’d planned, but Jo still pulls open the door and jumps into his arms, a loud “Jo! Finish your breakfast!” coming from down the hallway.

“Daddy!” He’s sharp and Leo swallows thickly. Even in the past six months since he’s seen her in person she’s grown. “Mamma wants me ta finish my breakfast but its granola.” She makes a face as Leo carefully untangles her hands from his pants and puts some distance between them, “Can we go an’ get pancakes?”

“Mornin’ kiddo.” He’s fighting back a grin simply because he can hear Jocelyn coming towards them as he kneels down and looks Jo in her eyes. “Don’t think we want your mother comin’ after me for feedin’ you pancakes now do we? Let’s see if we can get her to put it in a Tupperware container for you and we’ll get out of here, alright? But no pancakes ‘til you finish your cereal.”

He raises his head and slowly stands up with his hand wrapped around his daughters. All he prays is that his face conveys his desire to keep this civil.

“Leonard,” she states with a small tip of her head. “You’ve arrived early.”

He shrugs, glancing down at Jo, “Go finish your breakfast, Jo, then we can head out.” When she nods and slips past her mother in a hurry back to the kitchen, he returns his gaze to his ex-wife. “Morning, Joce. Traffic wasn’t as bad as I’d expected comin’ into the city.”

It’s only a half-lie.

At least it’s get a simple tip of the head in response instead of accusations.

Jocelyn studies him for a moment, sounds of Jo and someone else (Leo refuses to accept that Clay gets the honor of eating with his daughter at breakfast) eating making their way from the back of the house. It’s silence to the point of uncomfortable before she gives him a small, almost sad smile. “You’re looking good, Len.”

It’s not condescending and it’s not sharp, both of which surprise him. With a slight smile he nods and lets himself relax. “I’m doin’ better.”

They would have continued but Jo comes racing back out, a bag slung over her back and small hands clutching a bowl in front of her. “Let’s go, Daddy!” she calls in excitement, grabbing his arm as she slows to a stop next to him.

“Go wait in the car, darlin’, and we’ll leave in just a minute. Your mom and I need to chat for a moment.”With Jo running towards the car, he turns his gaze to Joce again and tips his head, “I’ll drop her off this evening like we planned.”

“Just not too late, Len, she’s got school again in the mornin’.”

“Joce, _I know_. It’s the middle of the week. Don’t worry, she’ll be back by eight.”

As he turns away he catches a “wouldn’t trust you don’t need the reminder,” before the door shuts with a click before he’s even off the porch. Civility apparently means nothing anymore.

                                                      ---------------------------

An elementary school class room has _never_ been this clean. Over the weekend, Mr. Smith and the janitors had come in, dragged everything out. At least they’d cleaned up their messes. But all that left Kirk with as he went about re-arranging the room were bare walls and a sad disparity between the to-grade pile on his desk and the personal items (not that he had many to begin with). There are hardly any images on the walls beyond a few great paintings from their first assignment on Monday. It’s all he’s had time for and Jim wishes that he’d been forewarned about this day, so the room wouldn’t look so barren.

It’s too late now and Jim lets out a slow breath, attempting to ignore the anxiety coursing through his veins, and tugs at the bottom of his cardigan. He’s as ready as he’ll ever be but he hasn’t been around long enough to have work to grade to look busy.

  
Just how fucked over did the boss want him?

He doesn’t have much longer to wait until there’s a chime and he hears adults start shouting over the din in the hallway for the kids to keep it calm. They’re talking to little kids who get to show their parents all the awesome things they’ve done. Really, what do they expect? Cracking a grin, Jim shakes his head and relaxes as he moves to open the gateway to his own little wonderland. Time to see just who was raising his little rascals.

Jo has her hand wrapped tightly around the loose edge of his father’s jacket as she drags him down the hallway. She’s been going on about Mr. Kirk _this_ and Mr. Kirk _that_ for the past hour (note to self: don’t feed her chocolate chip pancakes until she’s at least 18) and he’s not sure if he’s ready to finally meet the man himself or have Jo let go of him just for a _second_ to get a moment’s peace. He loves her, and hell if this wasn’t a bi-annual meeting he’d probably still be lovin’ her, but he needs even a two minute break.

Saying he holds respect for anyone who worked with packs of these things for days on end... well. It’d be a hell of an underestimation.

As they step into the classroom, Jo is off his arms in an instant, weaving neatly through the pack of bodies to snag a friend’s hand then drag her off to another, slowly forming their own compact group weaving through the crowd of parents. Shoulder’s sagging slightly in relief, a small smile fading in and out as he studies the room, Leo cautiously moves forward. Many of the other parents are intermingling, clearly at least acquaintances, and he can’t help but feel slightly out of the loop. Sure he belongs in here just as much as anyone else, has just as much right to be standing in the middle of a (this) classroom, watching his daughter interact with her friends.

With a shake of his head Leo turns slightly, missing the gaze of a few other adults, and slips his hands into his pockets before wandering to the back wall of the classroom to look over some of the students projects.

Jim was out of the classroom to put another sample of work up on the boards lining the corridors when the last few kids and parents found their way into the classrooms. Not that it’s something that should bring him worry, he’s just a young teacher in a new school with barely even two weeks of experience with these people’s kids.

Ducking back into the classroom to catch everyone’s attention and let the day begin, a soft smile appears, head nodding in greeting to the parents whose eyes turned in his direction as he entered. For many, this is probably just another day to make their kid happy, a holiday they were expected to take that they could have saved for some grand tripped with their significant other without the kids trailing behind them. They’re here by necessity and the sooner he makes it to some extent worth their while, the better.

The students are slipping into their seats as the parents take to standing nearby or dragging chairs far too small for their bodies out from tables to take seats in the back and as the chaos dies down, one man catches Jim’s eye. A man who looks just as uncomfortably out of place as he’s feeling.

Really, it would be too cliché to say love at first sight, after all, to Jim Kirk, there was no such thing. But damn... if he didn't want to ask to see him after class and jump his bones in the janitor's closet.

_He’s here with a kid Jim. Get your head on straight._

Giving the room a smile as he moved towards the front of the room, brightening slightly as his gaze landed on the gruff man a second time, Jim tipped his head in greeting. “Mornin’ everyone!”

The usual chorus of “Mornin’ Mr. Kirk!” resonates back to him as he crosses his ankles and slips his hands into his pockets.

“I hope you all had a good evening. Hello to all our guests. I’m sure kids you’ve got a lot you want to show and tell your parents, but it’s still a day of class alright?” Some of the students give vehement nods and more than usual are actually watching him. “But you’ll all get to do fun things with them this afternoon.” The number of raised eyebrows from the parents should not have been a surprise. Still, score! One more check against the parents who thought today would be them sitting on their asses.

  
The man had turned as he spoke and moved forward, ignoring the chairs and perching himself on the edge of a table near the door. He wasn’t close to any one student, or anywhere near the other parents.

“Sir, could you please find a chair?” he asks gesturing at a set of desks near one of the students. Joanna, that was her name. “Not so sure those were designed for our size.” Well, neither were the chairs.

Abashed, Leo ducks his head and nods. “Ya sure, no problem.” Following the teachers hand he smiles softly. Course the open chair’s going to be near his daughter. Hell, she’s probably happy he wasn’t shadowing her when she was with her friends. Still, it _is_ the only one free. “Sorry ‘bout that.” His voice comes out stronger then he’s feeling. Like he knows exactly what he is doing and that was a simple misunderstanding.

It sure as hell doesn’t help any that Joce failed to mention the teacher was _hot_.

\--------------------------

 

“Mr. McCoy?”

Leo’s waiting for Jo to finish up her drawing and turn it into Jim (what teacher insists they all call him by his first name?) when a voice speaks up from beside him and Leonard turns around slowly to face the womean.

“That’s me. What can I do for you miss?”

The women is tall, blonde, slim. Almost his type if he didn’t have a bad feeling about this. “You’re not what I’d expected, but maybe she was right.” Her eyes raise to meet Leo’s and she tips her head. “You aren’t looking that great.”

Leo’s hackles rise as soon as the women mentions ‘she’ and his eyes narrow. That is beyond even what he thought Joce was capable of. A _spy_ in his daughter’s class?

“May I inquire just what you’re on about?” he asks coldly. “And what’s your name? I’d like to know what makes ya think you can make that call.”

Eyebrows raising slightly, the woman takes a small step back, “Danielle Blake, sir. Jocelyn mentioned you might be here today and I was curious for myself what you were like.”

Eyebrow raising even further Leo lets out a slow, drawn out “And?”

“It’s clear you care about your daughter sir, but I don’t blame Jocelyn.”

‘Don’t blame….’ His eyes narrow and Leo forces himself to shove his hand into his pocket. “You ain’t got a damn clue _ma’m_ so I don’t think you’ve got a right ta be judgin’….”

“Mr. McCoy?”

The new voice is directly over his shoulder and despite wantingto honestly dig into what the woman had just said, he spins on his heel. They’re in Georgia, ignoring her will do just as much.

“ _What?_ ” he snaps, posture loosening when he recognizes the teacher. Jim’s a good kid, sounds like he’ll do a hell of a job teaching Joanna for the rest of the year (and will be missed when it’s over) and doesn’t deserve whatever wrath Leo was about to spew at Ms. Blake.

Jim’s eyes flick anxiously between the two people he’d just interrupted. It was clear from across the room that the women’s speech hadn’t been appreciated by the man, but he wasn’t about to get in the middle of a domestic dispute. Not yet having caught onto the region’s strongly-rooted tradition of manners (or he might have said goodbye to the women), he ends up shrugging slightly.

“It’s not often we get to meet the parents of our students. I wanted to make my way over here and introduce myself properly. Jim Kirk.” He offers his hand. “And it’s a pleasure to be teaching Joanna.”

There’s that smile again. The same one he hasn’t quiet seen all day but that keeps offering to come out. Even if this is the only day he sees the man, Jim wants to crack a full smile out of the man.

Taking a slow breath, Leo nods and takes Jim’s hand, shaking it firmly. “Nice ta meet you, Mr. Kirk. Sure you’re goin’ to do a great job with her.”

“Jim, call me Jim.”

Small eyebrow quirk, no smile yet. “What’s up with that anyhow? Jim? Not like half these folks are interested in bein’ your friend.”

Jim chuckles softly and tips his head to the side, “That mean you’re open to it?”

McCoy really had walked straight into that one.

“Sir?” There’s that women trying to get his attention again.

With a shake of his head and a soft smile Leo shrugs, “Leonard McCoy, by the way.” It’s easy (it shouldn’t be this easy) for him to tap Jim on the shoulder and start walking in the other direction, striking up a conversation with Jim until Joanna comes running up to share her picture with the two men.

**Author's Note:**

> At the moment this is a one-shot but maybe someday I'll expand it into a multi-chapter fic.


End file.
